Male Jacanas just carry on parenting capers

Carry four youngsters under your arms? No problem, if you're a male Comb-crested Jacana. Spotted bulky bird on lagoon in Palmetum Botanical Gardens, Townsville, with too many legs, but only two on water plants.

Seconds later four young Jacanas were free to forage with father (females free of parenthood).

Make all four vanish in a flash? No, problem. Male uttered shrill orders and the quartet disappeared into debris beneath him (above) on edge of lagoon. My short, very careful search found not one bird.

But it caused male to flop 'broken' wings and splosh invitingly about - an easy meal for a predator. Soon after, perceived danger passed, male sounded the all clear, picked his 'invisible' four up, and carried them to other side of lagoon.